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Full Details

Surname
BURNS
Forename
Peter
Day
20
Month
07
Year
1908
Age
37
Occupation
Hewer
Mine/Quarry Name
Charlaw
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Charlaw & Sacriston Collieries Co. Ltd
Location
Sacriston
County
Durham
Details of Event
He with others came to the shaft at the Busty Seam Level to ride. The onsetter at this level signalled that he wanted the cage by giving three-and-a-half raps. The winding engineman, getting this signal, put the cage to the Busty Seam, and the onsetter, having the cage there, then, according to his own statement, rapped three raps, which was the signal that men were going to get into the cage. Having given that signal, the onsetter then told the men to get into the cage. One man got in, but, as Burns was getting in, the cage was drawn away and his leg was broken a compound fracture. Blood-poisoning set in, and he died ten days afterwards. Instead of the cage being drawn away it should, supposing the signals to have been properly made have remained at rest until the onsetter rapped one then the engineman would wind it to the surface. The onsetter's statement is supported by the evidence of three other persons. The winding engineman acknowledged that he received the first signal - the three-and-a-half raps - but he stated that the next signal he received was one of four raps, which meant that he had to take the cage to the Hutton Seam. He acted on this signal in ignorance of the fact that men were getting into the cage at the Busty Seam Level and Burns was caught. The statement of the winding engineman is supported by the evidence of one other person, and that of two others suggests there was some confusion of the raps. I think signals in reply should always be given when men are going to get into a cage to descend or ascend as the case may be.